Strategic Flood Risk assessment
Summary
In accordance with Section 11 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) Fingal County Council (FCC) commenced a review of the existing County Development Plan (2011 -2017) and the preparation of a new County Development Plan for the period 2017–2023 in March 2015. The County Development Plan review process will take up to two years, concluding with the adoption of the new plan in spring 2017. An initial 8 week public consultation on the pre-draft stage of the Development Plan was completed from March to May 2015. The FCC Chief Executive will submit a draft County Development Plan to the elected members of FCC for agreement in December 2015. The agreed draft Plan will then be the subject of to further public consultation from February to April 2016. A Chief Executives Report summarising the issues raised in submissions and observations received in respect of the Draft Plan will be submitted to the elected members in August 2016. Further public onsultation will take place from October to November 2016. The elected members will consider the draft Plan and the Chief Executives Report in spring 2017 and formally make or amend the Plan.
In compliance with the Directive and the Planning and Development (Strategic Environmental Assessment) Regulations 2004-2011, the Planning Authority proposes to carry out Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the new Plan and will prepare an Environmental Report of the likely significant effects on the environment of implementing the new Plan.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SEA Scoping Guidance Document outlines that the SEA should adopt policies to avoid and restrict the zoning of lands in flood prone areas. It should also adopt a policy that requires flood risk assessments to be undertaken for developments and zoning being proposed in flood prone areas. These policies should be prepared in accordance with the requirements of The Planning System and Flood Risk Assessment Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2009) and Circular PL02/2014 (August 2014) referred to hereafter as ‘The Guidelines’.
The Guidelines recommend that a Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) Report be undertaken to support the SEA of proposed development plans.